ABC, CBS, and NBC Freak Out Over Melting Antarctic Ice: ‘Much of South Florida’ Will Be ‘Underwater’

On Monday, May 13, all three network evening newscasts hyped the dire consequences of a new NASA study which show that “large parts of the western Antarctica ice sheet appears to have collapsed.”

ABC, CBS, and NBC hyperventilated over the report, and warned of rising sea levels in the immediate future. CBS News’ Elaine Quijano warned “A 10-foot rise in sea level would submerge tunnels and subways here in Manhattan and parts of Queens and Brooklyn. But, Scott, it would also put the entire city of Miami Beach and much of South Florida underwater.” [See video below.]

NBC Nightly News and ABC World News offered news briefs while the CBS Evening News provided a 1 minute and 37 second report. NBC’s Brian Williams fretted that “Scientists say further degradation is almost certainly unstoppable. They say global warming is accelerating the pace of disintegration.”

ABC’s Diane Sawyer struck a similar tone:

An alert about falling ice in the western part of Antarctica. They say 40 years of data showed the glaciers are melting so fast, it is now unstoppable. They project the global sea level will rise three feet or more by the year 2100 and low coastal areas like much of Florida will be the hardest hit.

Over on CBS, Scott Pelley hyped “scientists warn that a large part of Antarctica is melting and cannot be stopped. New evidence from the South Pole implies a big rise in sea level.” Reporter Elaine Quijano provided the greatest freak out of all three newscasts and worried that “Sea levels could rise by four feet, but not before 2214. It would open the way for greater losses of South Pole ice, which could raise sea levels by another six feet.”

The CBS reporter played clips from two scientists to promote the supposed dire situation in Antarctica:

ERIC RIGNOT: At this point, we'll say it's just a matter of time before this glacier completely disappears to sea.

TOM WAGNER: What we have found is that it in fact looks like this weak underbelly of Antarctica is in fact starting to flow out into the sea and there's not a lot to hold it back...What's happening is that as that ice is getting thinner, it's beginning to pop up off the land. And when it pops up off the land, there's no more friction to hold it back so it speeds up.

Quijano ended her report by lamenting that parts of New York City will be flooded before proclaiming “It would also put the entire city of Miami Beach and much of South Florida underwater.”

These three reports were not the only instance of the networks peddling global warming alarmism in recent weeks. Following a new climate change report released by the White House, all three networks rushed to push the Obama Administration’s climate change agenda. Furthermore, on Sunday May 4, NBC’s Ann Curry fretted about the “sobering forecast” that existed as a result of climate change.

See relevant transcripts below.

NBC

NBC Nightly News

May 12, 2014

7:22 p.m. Eastern [35 seconds]

BRIAN WILLIAMS: Two groups of scientists reported today based on close and constant examination large parts of the western Antarctica ice sheet appears to have collapsed. The area shown here in red. Scientists say further degradation is almost certainly unstoppable. They say global warming is accelerating the pace of disintegration. NASA’s lead polar ice researcher said quote “this is really happening. There is nothing to stop it now.” These scientists say the ice sheet can add 13 feet to global sea levels slowly at first and over the next 100 years or so.

ABC

ABC World News with Diane Sawyer

May 12, 2014

6:40 p.m. Eastern [20 seconds]

DIANE SAWYER: And news tonight from NASA. An alert about falling ice in the western part of Antarctica. They say 40 years of data showed the glaciers are melting so fast, it is now unstoppable. They project the global sea level will rise three feet or more by the year 2100 and low coastal areas like much of Florida will be the hardest hit.

CBS

CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley

May 12, 2014

6:35 p.m. Eastern [1 minute 37 seconds]

SCOTT PELLEY: In another important story today, scientists warn that a large part of Antarctica is melting and cannot be stopped. New evidence from the South Pole implies a big rise in sea level. Elaine Quijano reports.

ELAINE QUIJANO: Researchers at NASA and the University of California-Irvine looked at 40 years of data, including observations made from planes and satellite images of a glacier the size of California and Texas combined. Eric Rignot is lead author of the study.

ERIC RIGNOT: At this point, we'll say it's just a matter of time before this glacier completely disappears to sea.

QUIJANO: Sea levels could rise by four feet, but not before 2214. It would open the way for greater losses of South Pole ice, which could raise sea levels by another six feet. Tom Wagner studies glaciers for NASA.

TOM WAGNER: What we have found is that it in fact looks like this weak underbelly of Antarctica is in fact starting to flow out into the sea and there's not a lot to hold it back.

QUIJANO: Here's why. The land anchoring the glaciers sits below sea level. As ice melts, more of the glacier comes into contact with warmer ocean water, accelerating the process.

WAGNER: What's happening is that as that ice is getting thinner, it's beginning to pop up off the land. And when it pops up off the land, there's no more friction to hold it back so it speeds up.

QUIJANO: A 10-foot rise in sea level would submerge tunnels and subways here in Manhattan and parts of Queens and Brooklyn. But, Scott, it would also put the entire city of Miami Beach and much of South Florida underwater.

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